Rheology is the study of the flow of matter. This application more specifically addresses the flow of soft solids which exhibit fluid-like behaviors. Many applications can benefit from or even require the measurement of rheological properties of substances, particularly in cases where such properties change over time.
Concrete is a good example, for once mixed, concrete is typically continuously mixed in a mixer, which are sometimes mounted on trucks, to extend its life prior to solidification. However, even though mixers extend the life of mixed concrete, it does not make it last indefinitely, and the rheological properties of concrete in the mixer such as viscosity and yield can vary over time. For this reason, a common testing method referred to as the slump test is commonly used to monitor the “workability” of the concrete prior to application. The slump test involves removing concrete from the mixer, placing it in a truncated cone of a given height, removing the cone, waiting for the concrete to stabilize, and measuring the distance the concrete has slumped down.
In the food industry to give another example, some rheological properties can vary during cooking or other chemical reactions, and monitoring rheological properties can provide indicia that a given step in the process has been completed.
There are modern methods of obtaining rheological properties, but each had particular limitations. There remained room for improvement